Tag: Determination

Texas Drug Store Cowboys Celebrating 50 Years as Dancehall & Venue Legends

Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

50th Anniversary will be on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022 at John T. Floores Country Store & Dance Hall in Helotes, Texas. 3-7 p.m.

Admired by fiercely loyal fans, The Drugstore Cowboys have brought their electric energy to venues throughout the US and Europe.

The south side of San Antonio, in the neighborhoods surrounding McCollum and Harlandale high schools, are the childhood homes of many notable people in Country, Funk, Soul and Tejano Music.

Legendary Country Music DJ Hall of Famer and everybody’s “Cousin” Jerry King went to Harlandale in the 1960s. I can remember when King, along with other DJs and musicians, played with the likes of Willie Nelson and George Jones at a charity basketball matchup at the McCollum gym in the late 1960s.

During the 1972-73 school year Nashville recording artist Johnny Bush played on stage at the McCollum Auditorium. Country.

Down on Harding Blvd., a talented local newspaper country music and entertainment writer, John Goodspeed, served as an early inspiration for me.

    The late Emilio Navaira, from the McCollum Class of 1980, was a Mexican-American musician who performed country and Tejano music nationally. His classmate from the year ahead of him, Yolanda Saldívar, is the convicted murderer of Latin music superstar Selena, and is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison.

    Especially in the late 70s and early 80s many of us would go watch Horizon perform. Southsiders Charlie, John, and Geoff Boggess joined classmate Freddy Carrillo and others (T-Bo Gonzalez, Bill Dudley, Larry Scott and Sahara Greer come to mind) and actually opened for the Commodores. The story goes they were offered to go on the road with Cool and the Gang but turned them down.

      Through the years, southsider singers and musicians continued to play venues and dances as far away as Europe, on television and especially throughout the Lone Star State.

      Some of the more enduring included Rex Allen McNeil, Walter “Tooter” Ripps, Ray Morris, Randy Potts, Lonnie Castleman, John Marsh, Leonard Wong, and the rockers, The Toman Brothers, Randy and Russell—and who could forget R

      1972

      In the fall of 1972, 17-year-old McCollum senior Dub Robinson had organized a country trio and began playing around a little bit. He went to go see Willie Nelson at the John T. Floore Country Store northwest of San Antonio in the foothills of the Hill Country town of Helotes.

      Johnny Bush, Paul English, Willie Nelson

      Nelson was to perform as a trio with drummer Paul English and Bee Spears on bass. The steel player didn’t show.

      “I watched Willie play that gut string guitar and it didn’t lose anything,” Robinson remembers. Since age 12, Robinson had played professionally across South Texas, but on this night he was particularly inspired.

      He called his drummer, Robert “Cotton” Payne, and his bassist, Tommy McKay the next day and proclaimed that if they could be a hundredth as good as Nelson was, they might have a chance.

      They knew their taste in music was a blend of country, rock, and blues. McKay suggested the perfect name for their new band. It described the kind of “cowboy” who didn’t want to get his boots dirty.

      I’ve followed Dub and other fellow McCollum Cowboys classmates over the years. He continues to be a favorite.

      At a ten year class reunion in 1983 at the downtown El Tropicano Hotel Ballroom, Dub and his band honored his classmates as we danced in memories of “old times.” I was particularly honored. I knew the band was good, but when I was called over during a break, he asked me what Elvis song I was going to sing later that evening.

      I suggested “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hearbreak Hotel,” and “Hound Dog.”

      He grinned, and with guitar in hand, said, “Okay. Let me hear you sing them.”

      1983 McCollum 10 Yr Reunion. Dub (guitar) was the ultra-professional. What an honor for me.

        I only had to belt out a sentence or a few words of each. He immediately knew what key and chords to play.

        Later, when some of our classmates were literally pulling my pants off while singing, I looked back at Dub. He was grinning big time. He and his band never missed a lick. I tried my best not to also. It remains a fun and wonderful memory in my heart.

        In 2011, while interviewing George Strait and Ray Benson at a fundraiser for wounded veterans at Tapatio Springs outside of Boerne, Texas, Strait said something that reminded me of Dub.

        “When everyone thinks of Asleep at the Wheel, they think of Ray.”

        That’s exactly how I feel about the Drug Store Cowboys. When I think of them, I think of Dub Robinson.

        The Drugstore Cowboys with Gary Stewart: Dub Robinson (left), Stewart, Randy Toman and Robert "Cotton" Payne.
        Dub Robinson on the left.

        Dub just announced the band will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new CD. What are his thoughts?

        In his own creative words, the songwriter, musician and singer posted:

        Originally, McKay lasted about a year and a half and Randy Toman, (who now performs with his brother Russell), became the bassist for 13 years.

        They became the touring band for country stars Gary Stewart and Stoney Edwards. The Drugstore Cowboys also backed Johnny Rodriguez, Freddy Fender, Johnny Bush and Gene Watson.

        Other artists they shared the stage with or even backed up include Nelson, Merle Haggard, Mel Tillis, Frenchy Burke, Greg Allman, David Allen Cole, Charlie Daniels, the Mavericks, Jerry Jeff Walker, and even Asleep At The Wheel.

        “They joined Stewart, who was known for such hits as “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles),” when his backing band could not make a gig at the old Kicker’s Palace,” Goodspeed once reported. “The owner told Stewart they knew all his songs and he gave them a try. Stewart hired them and they toured coast to coast. Robinson quit after four years.”

        “I didn’t want to be somebody’s backup band the rest of my life,” he said. “I’m a songwriter first and wanted to do my own thing.”

          In 50 years, at least that many musicians have played in The Drugstore Cowboys.

          Some of the members went on to play for the Bellamy Brothers, Janie Fricke, Bill Anderson, and Judas Priest.

          “I believe it’s all about the song. It’s a lot of work running a band, but I do it just to play my music the way I want to hear it,” Dub said.

          In God We Trust

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          History, Texas, Pioneers, Genealogy

          From award-winning Texas author Cynthia Leal Massey.

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          The Angry Snake and Sharp Saw Lesson

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          There was a snake that crawled over a sharp saw and was cut. In anger, the snake wrapped the saw with its thick body and proceeded to squeeze the life out of the saw.

          If you liked this, you will enjoy The Donkey, Tiger and Lion Lesson.

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          From award-winning Texas author Cynthia Leal Massey.

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          The Most Important Theme of ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad”

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Rich Dad, Poor Dad revolves around three main characters: poor dad, rich dad (Robert T. Kiyosaki’s second father) and the son (the author himself as narrator of the book). The essence of each character is:

          • Poor dad – educated but lacking the street smarts
          • Rich dad – very little education (eighth grade), tons of street smarts
          • Kiyosaki – the spectator who learns lessons from both but internalizes only rich dad’s traits

          The story of Robert Kiyosaki and Mike starts in 1956 Hawaii, when both boys were a nine years old. Their first get-rich scheme was a counterfeit nickel making company. They made plaster molds of the nickels and melted lead toothpaste tubes and filled the molds to produce the nickels. Their plan was foiled by Mike’s father, who informed the boys of their illegal activity.

          After that day, the boys dedicated their free time to leaning about finance and economics from Mike’s father, the rich dad. The first lesson Mike’s dad made the boys experience was hatred of the “Rat Race”. He was able to achieve this by making the boys work in one of his grocery stores for three hours for ten cents an hour pay. Within a few weeks, Kiyosaki, tired of being exploited for labor, demanded that he receive a raise, but instead, Mike’s father cut his pay and told him to work for free.

          Eventually, both boys tired of being under appreciated (and unpaid) and they met individually with Mike’s father. In their meetings with rich dad, he apologized for lack of pay and he offered them either the moral of the lesson or a pay raise. Both boys chose to learn the moral of the lesson, while rich dad offered them pay raises. He started at twenty-five cents, a dollar, two dollars, and even five dollars, which would have been considered a large amount of money for an hourly wage, but the boys still remained strong with their decision to learn the moral of the lesson.

          The lesson to get out of the “Rat Race” and instead of spending your whole life working to put a little money in your pocket and a bunch of money in someone else’s pocket, have people work hard to put money in your pocket. Out of all the lessons that were taught to the boys, this one was the most important.

          Poor Dad

          The author compares his poor dad to the millions of fathers who encourage their sons to do well in school so they could get a good job with a good company. Poor dad believed in the traditional principles of working hard, saving money, and not buying material things that one cannot afford. He believed that having a good job with a solid company is what one should aspire for; hence he expresses disappointment when his son leaves the employ of a large, reputable corporation.

          Poor dad looks to education as the passport to success. He held a doctorate degree, went to Ivy League universities, but was always struggling financially. He believed he would never be a rich man and the author points out that this became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Poor dad was more interested in a good education than the subject of money. The author wrote that his poor dad would always say things like, “I’m not interested in money” or “money doesn’t matter.”

          The author points out that poor dad was preoccupied with things like job tenure and security, Social Security, vacation and sick leaves, company insurance and salary raises and promotions. The author felt that his poor dad was more interested in these factors rather than on the job itself. This is what the author calls being trapped in the Rat Race.

          His poor dad worked hard incessantly but somehow never made it ahead financially. Poor dad’s approach to the subject of money was based on working hard to have enough money to pay the bills (in contrast to rich dad’s approach to make one’s money work for him).

          Rich Dad

          The author wrote that it was when he was nine years old that he started realizing that his rich dad made much more sense than his poor dad. It was from rich dad that the author learned not to say, “I can’t afford it”, but instead to ask, “how can I afford it?” He explains this principle by relating an incident when he and his best friend Mike went to work for Mike’s father. Rich dad paid them very low wages deliberately so that would stir anger and a sense of injustice in them and eventually for them to realize that in order to get ahead, one must work for himself and not for others.

          For example, in that part of the book when the author complains to rich dad that he can hardly afford to buy anything with the wages he is paid, rich dad tells him that he shouldn’t dwell on the fact that his wages are low, but instead ask “how can I make more money” because this stimulates the brain to take action. His rich dad says that when someone says, “I can’t afford it”, his brain stops working. It therefore kills initiative and promotes passivity.

          The author adds that while his poor dad invested time and effort in education, he did not have any knowledge on investing. His rich dad, by contrast, was very skilled in the investment game because that’s all he did. The attitude of his rich dad about money was manifested in the saying “the lack of money is the root of all evil” (his poor dad, on the other hand, believed that the love of money is the root of all evil).

          According to the author, rich dad also nurtured the idea that taxes punished producers and rewarded the non-producers. He was the type who encouraged money talk at the dinner table and was portrayed by the author as someone who learned to manage risk, instead of not taking risks.

          The Son (Robert T. Kiyosaki)

          The author takes a common sense approach to the subject of money and emphasizes the need for accounting knowledge so that the reader clearly understands what assets and liabilities are. He makes simple diagrams that show the inflow and outflow of money and how the rich build up the asset column and the poor build up the liability column (expenses). It is obvious that the author places much importance on accounting knowledge – no matter how boring it is – because he says it is “the most important subject in your life.”

          By using numerous examples and anecdotes, the author drives home his messages effectively, revealing his pro-capitalist stance.

          The author also shows his understanding of the mechanisms employed by the government and the tax man and concludes that it is the middle class that actually pay for the poor. The rich are the ones who are hardly taxed because they have the knowledge to use tax legislation to their advantage.

          A Primary Theme in Rich Dad, Poor Dad

          One theme that’s apparent in this book is that for an individual to be wealthy, he must aim to own the system or means of production, rather than work for another individual. The author stresses that there is obviously something confining about being an employee; it shuts the mind to other possibilities and it stunts initiative.

          Financial intelligence is THE most powerful asset. By studying the precepts of accounting and investing, the author believes that individuals will be able to see the difference between an asset and a liability; in fact it is the more concrete application of learning what’s right and what’s wrong. Generating a string of expenses is wrong, building assets is right.

          Unlike individuals who earn and then pay taxes on what they earn, corporations earn, spend what they want to spend, and pay taxes on what’s left. Corporations, therefore, hold a certain degree of power. The rich know how to use this power, the poor don’t.

          The author also believes that true luxuries are experienced when they are the outward manifestations of intelligent investing and asset building. He cites the example of his wife purchasing a Mercedes Benz because it was the car she liked and worked hard to be able to purchase it. The author cautions however about keeping up with the Joneses and getting into debt because of this human frailty.

          Fear, laziness, cynicism and arrogance are to be blamed for most of human inaction.

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          Sources and Networking for Writers, Investigators and Sales People

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          “Where do you get your ideas for articles? How do you develop and retain dependable sources? How do you sell more? Increase business? Obtain information?”

          These are common questions I have received over the years as a “Jack of All Trades” being an investigative reporter, insurance salesman, business executive, trade organization president, writer, detective and corporate facilities manager. The simple answer is to be a good networker.

          Personal Connections

          After making any connection, I always tried to build on it. Sometimes it takes creativity and thoughtfulness, but those are wonderful traits for life anyway. At HEB Food/Drugs, my division had thousands of employees (Partners), service providers, vendors and other resources to keep our stores, offices, warehouses, manufacturing plants and other real estate safe, lawful and in welcoming conditions.

          H-E-B calls employees ‘Partners’

          Early on, I would use Rolodex files (labeled: “Sources,” “Engineers,” “Partners,” “Designers,” Electricians,” and others) for individual information on people in each category.

          For example, when I visited Austin, Houston, Dallas, the Rio Grande Valley, the Coastal Bend and other regions of Texas, the file for that area would include more than just names, phone numbers, and emails. It was critical to have personal notes to connect and care with individuals I may come in contact with. Examples might be:

          Birthplace, Birthday, Anniversaries, Spouse, Children, Other Family, Connections, Hobbies, Interests, Education, and Accomplishments.

          Others items to note might include Affiliations, Career and Work History, Goals, Prides, and other interests.

          “Is Bobby, Jr. still playing baseball this year? How’s Nancy doing in track? Here’s an autograph of Tim Duncan for your brother. I know he’s big on Spurs basketball,” were some ways to build rapport.

          The key was to capture the bits and pieces of hot, vital information
          about people I met. These appear as phrases such as “Texas State alum,” “loves to fish,” “never eats lunch,” and so on.

          Many times I kept a pocket recorder to help remember for when I jotted it down in the hotel room or plane ride later. As technology developed, I kept computer files and spreadsheets instead of manual Rolodexes.

          Note: Even today, I do not include confidential information and confidential names on a computer or internet file. My reputation and ability to gather data and news depends on sources trusting me.

          Resources You Can Count On

          It’s all a lot of work, but worth every minute of it. What does all this
          have to do with resolving an emergency, mitigating a problem, gathering resources, or closing the sale? Just about everything when it’s
          used at the moment it’s needed.

          Who can you depend on for help when your dealing with a hurricane, a sales proposal or news article?

          I don’t subscribe to the saying “Networking is a numbers game.” The success doesn’t come from how many people you can meet. What you actually need is to have a list of people and resources you can count on.

          One of my greatest mentors was a senior vice president of Facility Alliance at H-E-B, Ralph G. Mehringer. I watched and learned. When he met someone for the first time–a food server, janitor, visitor, new partner, whoever— Ralph was consistent about making them feel like the most important person in the room.

          When I lived in an apartment above the Majestic Theater in downtown San Antonio, a neighbor, Walter Stovell, known as the “Godfather of Houston Street,” totally made eye contact with others–and he kept it. He smiled. He listened.

          Majestic Theater

          During conversations, Walter made comments and asked questions that showed he was hearing and listening. One day the current and two ex-mayors of the Alamo City walked by and Walter amazed me with his abilities to engage each one opportunities to express themselves without interruption.

          What If You Need a Large List to Increase Sales or Potential Sales?

          A sales person may mention to someone for whom has been a good customer, “I was just going through my checks, and I realized I spent over $2000 with you last year. I guess we’re really getting to depend on each other more than I knew.”

          A typical question I receive is “where do you get your articles and story ideas?” They are all over, if you network properly.


          You can expand networking by simply trading networks with someone else.
          How big is your network? If you answered infinite, you’re
          right. You’re only limited by the number of people on earth. Your network is potentially the size
          of all your contacts, plus all your relatives’ contacts, your
          friends’ contacts, your business associates’ contacts, and so on.

          Suppose you want to introduce a new service you offer. Are you going to limit the list to the names you’ve been able to scrape together? Of course not. You’ll ask me for my list, and if I like the offer I might even ask a few other people for their lists. Instead of a few hundred names, you now have a few thousand.

          Always treat anyone’s contacts with the utmost respect. Like tightrope walking, this is a system based on trust. A fall from grace, like a fall from the high wire, can be very hard to recover from.

          3 Tips on Selling

          🔹 Be Knowledgeable. If you want people to listen to you, you need to be an expert about the product you’re selling, about the market it exists in, and about the way it addresses the needs of your customer.

          🔹Establish Rapport. Your primary responsibility is to establish a connection between the needs of the customer and the solutions that your product/service provides. It’s about them, not you. If you’re not paying attention to the customers’ needs, how could you ever accomplish that? Listen to what they’re saying. Ask questions to gain deeper understanding. Seek to build and demonstrate empathy.

          🔹Build Relationships. Many people will go to online reviews to learn about your product or service. It’s amazing how much stronger leads are that come from customer referrals. Cultivating customer relationships will give you more leads, and when you listen to compliments and complaints about your offering, it will help you improve for future customers.

          One final thought is to use the forever faith 80/20 rule. Twenty percent of your network likely provides 80 percent of the value. What have you done for them lately?

          Jack Dennis

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          HEB FOOD DRUGS

          A Bias For Action: Procrastination is a Personal Pitfall

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Read This Now, Not Later

          For a number of years I taught a class called “A Bias For Action” to literally thousands of employees in classrooms, meetings and one-on-one.

          It was important to make certain we had “shared expectations” and “working definitions” immediately. Hard as it might be to admit it, we sometimes put off the tough stuff in our lives and especially our job.

          Some leaders would avoid confronting a direct report who isn’t performing within the new work environment. Others had a tendency to postpone projects that would test their self-confidence, abilities, comfort zone or patience. But procrastination is a leadership pitfall. Causing stress and anxiety, it sticks with you like glue until you’ve addressed it. So tackle the tough stuff first, and you’ll immediately eliminate undue stress, build your abilities, raise your comfort level, and boost self-confidence, too.

          Here are some points to keep in mind:

          Procrastination is the enemy. 

          According to “Psychology Today,” 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. They avoid challenging tasks or addressing big issues, even seeking out opportunities for distraction.

          So, what’s the big deal? Procrastination is negative and always has consequences — some direct, some indirect. These negative implications can be tangible, like a missed deadline, and intangible, such as irritability from losing sleep over an issue. It’s an enemy that affects you, your team and your company’s potential to succeed.

          Addressing challenges is often easier than you think. 

          Taking the first step is the hardest part, but things often go smoother after that. The classic example is when you’ve needed to address a performance issue with a direct report and been a bit worried over doing so. Then when you go to talk about it, the person is surprisingly receptive, rather than reactive, and your anxiety melts away. You think, “Why didn’t I do that sooner?” You’ve freed up your emotional and mental currency, the problem is addressed, and now you’re able to get back to and really focus on your main job.

          Dealing with “it” leads to greater productivity.

          Some people claim that they work better under pressure and actually use that clichéd excuse to avoid a project, problem or person. But this mindset’s repercussions can prevent and destroy productivity.

          For example, maybe you’ve put off fixing some software bug because it would test your patience and take too much time. Yet the crippled system slows the daily performance of your direct reports — and then stops altogether when it crashes one day. Everyone (most notably you) now suffers big consequences. You must do (in panic mode) what you previously put off, plus repair and pay for more serious damage that’s now been done. No doubt, fixing the problem in the first place could have lessened or prevented the blow, yet one common reason people procrastinate “dealing with it” is simply because they don’t know how or where to start.

          Begin by putting some ideas down on paper and then build a specific, deadline-oriented plan for tackling that tough stuff…and there will be A LOT during this time. Doing so will help you create the accountability and steps necessary for your goal achievement. And it will also help prevent further procrastination, so you can drive, rather than dodge, that critical, ever-productive change.

           6 Strategies ASAP To Keep Procrastination At Bay:

          🔹Start on the day before day one. Your strategy to avoid workplace procrastination should start before your employee’s first day. Start with clear and accurate job description matched up to accurately qualified candidates, then analyze the next steps of your hiring process.

          • JackNotes

          By recruiting and hiring employees that possess the right skills for the jobs at hand, you’ll get off to a good foundation in your quest to avoid procrastination pitfalls. Incorporate checkpoints in your interview questions, reference check process and in your interview testing process to look for signs that your potential new-hire has a procrastination track record.

          Clarify goals and expectations. Now that you’ve done your best to hire the right employee for the right role, it’s quintessential that you set them up for success with a strong start. By communicating company-wide (as well as departmental) goals clearly and defining the expectations of the specific role, you’ll alleviate gray areas that could lead to workplace procrastination.

          Make communication a two-way street. As business owners try to avoid workplace procrastination and correct it when it occurs, opening the communication lines with employees can be the greatest way to drill down on the causes. Create multiple communication vehicles to help employees communicate with management regarding issues that could lead to and improve upon workplace procrastination. This communication strategy can consist of surveys, anonymous comments boxes and push notifications via mobile app or intranet tools.

          Train, train and retrain. Bake procrastination avoidance strategies into your training program for all employees. Be sure to train managers on ways to spot, address and avoid workplace procrastination issues among their teams.

          Work on your company culture. A team of motivated, engaged employees feels connected to the company mission at a deeper level and less prone to procrastination. Company culture can be the edge your business operations needs to keep procrastination and all its repercussions at bay. Creating a strong culture may consist of employee recognition programs, career development opportunities as well as work life balance considerations.

          🔹Trust but verify. It’s important to place trust in your team and trust your hunches regarding your business, but the importance of measurement can’t be discounted. By setting up systems to measure deadlines, productivity and detect dips before they have detrimental impacts, you will gain real visibility into your business operations. Using this data, you can avoid workplace procrastination as well as be able to quantifiably reward the positive efforts of your team.

          Letting procrastination run rampant in your workplace can cost your business customers, impact your bottom line and create a negative culture. If you make smart hiring decisions, set your team up for success and measurement performance, however, you’ll be able to avoid the complications that workplace procrastination can bring.

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          Goettle HVAC and Plumbing services are located in Phoenix, Tucson, San Antonio, Austin, Las Vegas areas as well as regions in Southern California.

          Highlights of President Trump’s Lawsuit Against Hillary Clinton and Her Russian Collusion Cohorts

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Includes ‘Rogue’s Gallery” of Cohorts

          Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America filed a federal RICO suit in Miami, Florida Thursday, March 24, 2022 against Hillary Rodham Clinton and her cohorts over the Russia collusion hoax orchestrated by the Clinton campaign in 2016 to undermine Trump’s candidacy and derail his presidency.

          Trump is seeking treble damages of expenses and losses of more than $24 million.

          Here are prominent highlights of the 108 page lawsuit filing:

          The Plaintiff, Donald J. Trump, by and through his undersigned counsel, hereby serves his suit against the Defendants, Hillary R. Clinton, HFACC, Inc., the Democratic National Committee, DNC Services Corporation, Perkins Coie, LLC, Michael Sussmann, Marc Elias, Debbie
          Wasserman Schultz, Charles Halliday Dolan, Jr., Jake Sullivan, John Podesta, Robert E. Mook, Phillipe Reines,

          Sussmann
          Elias
          Schultz
          Dolan
          Sullivan
          Podesta

          Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, Peter Fritsch, Nellie Ohr, Bruce Ohr, Orbis Business Intelligence, Ltd., Christopher Steele, Igor Danchenko, Neustar, Inc., Rodney Joffe,

          Mook
          Reines
          Fritsch
          Steele
          Ohr
          Simpson
          Danchenko
          Joffe

          James Comey, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Kevin Clinesmith, Andrew McCabe, John Does 1 through 10 (said names
          being fictious and unknown persons), and ABC Corporations 1 through 10 (said names being fictitious and unknown entities) and alleges as follows:

          Comey
          Klinesmith
          Strzok
          Page
          McCabe


          🔹In the run-up to the 2016 Presidential Election, Hillary Clinton and her cohorts orchestrated an unthinkable plot – one that shocks the conscience and is an affront to this nation’s democracy. Acting in concert, the Defendants maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative that their Republican opponent, Donald J. Trump, was colluding with a hostile foreign sovereignty.

          🔹The actions taken in furtherance of their scheme—falsifying evidence, deceiving law enforcement,
          and exploiting access to highly-sensitive data sources – are so outrageous, subversive and
          incendiary that even the events of Watergate pale in comparison.

          🔹Under the guise of ‘opposition research,’ ‘data analytics,’ and other political stratagems, the Defendants nefariously sought to sway the public’s trust. They worked together
          with a single, self-serving purpose: to vilify Donald J. Trump. Indeed, their far-reaching conspiracy was designed to cripple Trump’s bid for presidency by fabricating a scandal that would
          be used to trigger an unfounded federal investigation and ignite a media frenzy.

          3

          🔹To start, the Clinton Campaign and the DNC enlisted the assistance of their shared counsel, Perkins Coie, a law firm with deep Democrat ties, in the hopes of obscuring their actions under the veil of attorney-client privilege.

          🔹Perkins Coie was tasked with spearheading the scheme to find—or fabricate—proof of a sinister link between Donald J. Trump and Russia.

          🔹To do so, Perkins Coie launched parallel operations:

          –on one front, Perkins Coie partner Marc Elias led an effort to produce spurious ‘opposition research’ claiming to reveal illicit ties between the Trump Campaign and Russian operatives;

          –on a separate front, Perkins Coie partner Michael Sussmann headed a campaign to develop misleading evidence of a bogus ‘back channel’ connection between e-mail servers at Trump Tower and a Russian-owned
          bank.


          🔹Marc Elias, in his mission to obtain derogatory anti-Trump ‘opposition research,’ commissioned Fusion GPS, an investigative firm, and its co-founders, Peter Fritsch and Glenn
          Simpson, and directed them to dredge up evidence—actual or otherwise—of collusion between Trump and Russia.

          🔹Fritsch and Simpson, in turn, enlisted the assistance of Orbis Ltd. and its owner, Christopher Steele, to produce a series of reports purporting to contain proof of the supposed collusion.

          🔹Of course, the now fully debunked collection of reports, known as the “Steele Dossier,” was riddled with misstatements, misrepresentations and, most of all, flat out lies.

          🔹In truth, the Steele Dossier was largely based upon information provided to Steele by his primary
          sub-source, Igor Danchenko, who was subsequently indicted for falsifying his claims.

          🔹Even more damning, Danchenko had close ties to senior Clinton Campaign official, Charles Halliday Dolan, Jr., who knowingly provided false information to Danchenko, who relayed it to Steele, who reported it in the Steele Dossier and eagerly fed the deceptions to both the media and the FBI. This duplicitous arrangement existed for a singular self-serving purpose – to discredit Donald J. Trump and his campaign.

          🔹At the same time, Michael Sussmann, in his hunt for damaging intel against the Trump Campaign, turned to Neustar, Inc., an information technology company, and one of its top executives, Rodney Joffe, a fervent anti-Trumper who had recently been promised a high ranking position with the Clinton Administration, to exploit their access to non-public data in search of a
          secret “back channel” connection between Trump Tower and Alfa Bank.

          🔹When it was discovered that no such channel existed, the Defendants resorted to truly subversive measures – hacking servers at Trump Tower, Trump’s private apartment, and, most alarmingly, the White House.

          🔹This ill-gotten data was then manipulated to create a misleading “inference” and submitted to law
          enforcement in an effort to falsely implicate Donald J. Trump and his campaign.

          🔹All of these acts were carried out in coordination with the Clinton Campaign and the DNC, at the behest of certain Democratic “VIPs.”

          🔹While their multi-pronged attack was underway, the Defendants seized on the opportunity to publicly malign Donald J. Trump by instigating a full-blown media frenzy.

          “Full blown media frenzy”

          🔹Indeed, the Clinton Campaign and DNC—admittedly on a “mission” to “raise the alarm” about their contrived Trump-Russia link—repeatedly fed disinformation to the media and shamelessly promoted their false narratives.

          🔹All the while, Hillary Clinton, Jake Sullivan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and others did their best to proliferate the spread of those dubious and false claims through press releases, social media, and other public statements.

          🔹The fallout from the Defendants’ actions was not limited to the public denigration of Trump and his campaign.

          🔹The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—relying on the
          Defendants’ fraudulent evidence—commenced a large-scale investigation and expended precious
          time, resources and taxpayer dollars looking into the spurious allegation that the Trump Campaign had colluded with the Russian Government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

          🔹The effects of this unfounded investigation were prolonged and exacerbated by the presence of a small faction of Clinton loyalists who were well-positioned within the Department of Justice and the FBI
          – James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Kevin Clinesmith, and Bruce Ohr.

          🔹These government officials were willing to abuse their positions of public trust to advance the baseless probe to new levels, including obtaining an extrajudicial FISA warrant and instigating the
          commencement of an oversight investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

          🔹As a result, Donald J. Trump and his campaign were forced to expend tens of millions of dollars in legal fees to defend against these contrived and unwarranted proceedings.

          🔹Justice would ultimately prevail – following a two-year investigation, Special Counsel Mueller went on to exonerate Donald J. Trump and his campaign with his finding that there was no evidence of collusion with Russia.

          🔹The full extent of the Defendants’ wrongdoing has been steadily and gradually exposed by Special Counsel John Durham, who has been heading a DOJ investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia conspiracy. To date, he has already issued indictments to Sussmann and Danchenko, among others, for proffering false statements to law enforcement officials.

          Durham

          🔹As outlined below, these ‘speaking’ indictments not only implicate many of the Defendants named herein but also provide a great deal of insight into the inner-workings of the Defendants’ conspiratorial enterprise. Based on recent developments and the overall direction of Durham’s
          investigation, it seems all but certain that additional indictments are forthcoming.

          🔹 In short, the Defendants, blinded by political ambition, orchestrated a malicious conspiracy to disseminate patently false and injurious information about Donald J. Trump and his campaign, all in the hopes of destroying his life, his political career and rigging the 2016 Presidential Election in favor of Hillary Clinton.

          🔹When their gambit failed, and Donald J. Trump was elected, the Defendants’ efforts continued unabated, merely shifting their focus to undermining his presidential administration. Worse still, the Defendants continue to spread their
          vicious lies to this day as they unabashedly publicize their thoroughly debunked falsehoods in an effort to ensure that he will never be elected again.

          🔹The deception, malice, and treachery perpetrated by the Defendants has caused significant harm to the American people, and to the Plaintiff, Donald J. Trump, and they must be held accountable for their heinous acts.

          🔹As a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ actions, the Plaintiff has suffered, and continues to suffer, significant damages, including but not limited to, actual, compensatory,
          special, incidental, and consequential damages in addition to costs of defense and attorneys’ fees.

          Among other things, the Plaintiff was forced to incur expenses in an amount to be determined at trial, but known to be in excess of twenty-four million dollars ($24,000,000) and
          continuing to accrue, in the form of defense costs, legal fees, and related expenses incurred in connection with his effort to defend against the Defendants’ actions and the various federal investigations and/or official proceedings which arose therefrom, in addition to the loss of existing
          and future business opportunities for himself, the Trump Campaign, and the Trump Organization LLC.

          🔹All of these injuries were sustained within, and were the result of conduct occurring within the United States.

          🔹WHEREFORE, the Plaintiff, Donald J. Trump, respectfully requests that this Court enter a Judgment for Donald J. Trump and against the Defendants, Hillary Clinton, HFACC, Inc., the Democratic National Committee, Perkins Coie, LLP, Michael Sussmann, and Marc Elias for damages, including Compensatory and Treble damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, and such further and other relief as this honorable Court may deem just and proper.

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          In Moments of Desperation, We Were Broken

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          One of our faithful readers sent this to us recently:

          “I was in Family Dollar store last night, and there was a lady and two kids behind me in the LONG line. One was a big kid, and the other one was a toddler. The bigger one had a pack of glow sticks, and the toddler was screaming for them.

          The Mom opened the pack and gave him one which stopped his tears. He walked around with it smiling; but then the bigger boy took it, and the toddler started screaming again. Just as the mom was about to fuss, the older child bent the glow stick and handed it back to the toddler.

          As we walked outside at the same time, the toddler noticed that the stick was now glowing; and his brother said, “I had to break it so that you could get the full effect from it.”


          I almost ran, because l could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you to show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.”


          That precious child was happy just swinging that “unbroken” glow stick around in the air, because he didn’t understand what it was created to do – which was “glow”.


          There are some people who will be content just “being,” but some of us are chosen… we have to be “broken.”
          We have to get sick.
          We have to lose a job.
          We go through a divorce.
          We have to bury our spouse, parents, best friend, or our child…


          In those moments of desperation, we were broken. But… when the breaking is done, then we will be able to see the reason for which we were created. So when you see us glowing, just know that we have been broken

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          America’s Uncle Sam Was a Real Patriot

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Plus, over a dozen vintage images

          You may not have known that Uncle Sam was a real person! In case you’re unfamiliar, “Uncle Sam” is the famous patriotic character we see on the poster that reads, “I want you for U.S. army.”

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          Born Samuel Wilson in 1766, the real-life Uncle Sam worked as a meat packer in Troy, New York. During the War of 1812, he supplied troops with meat that he shipped in barrels.

          The barrels contained the branding “U.S.,” short for “United States,” but people often joked that it actually stood for “Uncle Sam.” The trope eventually spread far and wide, and the rest is history (literally).

          Painted by noted U.S. illustrator James Montgomery Flagg, the image first appeared on the cover of the July 6, 1916, issue of Leslie’s Weekly magazine with the title “What Are You Doing for Preparedness?” The U.S. would not declare war on Germany until April of the next year, but the storm signals were clear. The image was later adapted by the U.S. Army for the poster with the new, unforgettable call to action. More than 4 million copies of it were printed between 1917 and 1918.

          This photo above of Wilson was taken sometime in the 1850s, and is the only known photograph of him.

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          Goettle HVAC & Plumbing Services

          Goettle HVAC and Plumbing services are located in Phoenix, Tucson, San Antonio, Austin, Las Vegas areas as well as regions in Southern California.

          The People’s Convoy of American Truckers Roll in Peaceful Protest to DC

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Millions of Patriots Supporting, Praying and Cheering Along Routes

          American Truckers launch The People’s Convoy, a peaceful and unified transcontinental movement for freedom, on February 23, 10:00 am, from Adelanto Stadium in California.

          This verse was read and shared by thousands before they embarked:

          “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

          Citizens are supporting the Convoy For Freedom by:

          1. Praying for their safety and success.
          2. Attending their send off rallies and cheering them along the routes. 
          3. Driving part way with them.
          4. Donating money through their website. https://ThePeoplesConvoy.org/
          5. Turning out to show support as they pass.
          6. Sharing information about The People’s Convoy on social media and by email.
          7. Living not by lies or fear.

          As The People’s Convoy begins their peaceful and unified transcontinental movements for freedom, hundreds of truckers are hearing encouragement and blessings from speakers including FLCCC President Dr. Pierre Kory and Godspeak Church Pastor Rob McCoy.

          “The truckers are joined by freedom-loving supporters from all walks of life on this peaceful and law-abiding transcontinental journey for freedom,” one spokesperson said Tuesday night.

          “This convoy is about freedom and unity,” they announced.” “The truckers are riding unified across party and state lines with freedom loving people of all colors and creeds. Everyone is welcome to participate by attending the launch rally and/or by following the big rigs in their own vehicles.”

          First 4 Days: Truckers, Bikers, RVs, and Other Vehicles Main Convoy Route Across America

          Day 1: CA to AZ
          Day 2: Through AZ (Snow expected)
          Day 3: AZ to TX
          Day 4: TX to OK

          The People’s Convoy Message

          The 23 months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a rough road for all Americans: spiritually, emotionally, physically, and – not least – financially.

          Good therapeutics and the hard work of courageous, frontline doctors and nurses contributed to declining COVID-19 cases and severity of illness. It’s time to re-open America. It’s time for elected officials to work with American workers to and restore accountability and liberty – by lifting all mandates and ending the “state of emergency.” Americans need to get back to work and living in a free and unrestricted manner.

          Adjoining Routes

          Truckers Are Ready

          Many non-mainstream media reporters, photographers and staff will embed with the Convoy. Note: As of this writing Newsmax, Eric Bolling, Maureen Steele, The Epoch Times and other journalists, media outlets and podcasters are joining.

          Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Children’s Health Defense’s http://CHD.TV will cover the convoy with live updates every day at 10 am EST at https://live.childrenshealthdefense.org/.

          Retired military and security experts are assisting the convoy and spearheading logistics to ensure a 100 percent safe, lawful, and peaceful journey.

          “We have the freedom our forefathers and veterans have continually died for over the past two hundred years. Just visit our National Cemetaries and view the rows of sacrifice on the grounds. This freedom needs to be defended whether foreign or domestic,” was a message passed around by supporters to truckers before they left. “All of us must fight these communists. I know this because I am a cold war veteran. This time they have attacked us from the inside via money and political means.”

          “Our representatives seem to be very quiet during these times, why? God bless all of you in this endeavor to retain our freedom that we still have today,” wrote FireDogRazor54. “To my brothers and sisters in Canada, your blood has been shared in the past many times and I know personally that you do not quit, defend the Maple leaf! To all I repeat ‘esprit de corps’. Post this message on your trucks!! To the police, go 10-7 with the blue covid flu for about a week, just saying. Where is our clergy? Tend the flock and ward off the foxes!”

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          Enlightened Patriots Are Surviving the Greatest Psychological Warfare in Human History

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          If you understand what’s going on and didn’t take the poison, you have survived the greatest psychological warfare in human history.

          Do you realize how much time, resources, money and effort they put into this?

          They have tried to manipulate, brainwash and force you. They have been trying to scare you. Attempted to make you feel guilty.

          They tried to bribe you with gifts. They tried to confuse you and question your reality, and also your sanity.

          They tried to make you abandon your principles, your morals and your values. They even managed to turn your loved ones and friends against you.

          Almost everyone fell for it. But not you. You never gave up on yourself. You stood up for yourself. Against all odds.

          You rose like a Phoenix in the night and entered into your own full power. You are the best. Stay that way.

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          Books to Help You Cultivate Positive Thinking

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          By Anna Charles

          Positive thinking is one of the most beneficial habits a person can adopt.

          The Mayo Clinic explains that it is an effective form of stress management and can improve general health. It can also increase lifespan, lessen depression and stress, and help build better resistance against diseases.

          In trying times, you should try to see things in an optimistic manner. Positive thinking isn’t about disregarding struggles; it’s about trying to look at a situation with a less abrasive perspective. This will help you live a happier and more fulfilling life. If you want to learn how to think more positively, there are many resources, like books, which can help you. Here are a few that will surely guide you to see things with a better mindset:

          The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck

          First on this list is a book by Mark Manson.

          The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is all about learning to accept the circumstances you encounter and taking things in stride. Problems are inevitable but instead of feeling negatively towards them, learn to let go and not take them too seriously.

          Iconic singer Freddie Mercury has said “I’ve lived a full life and if I’m dead tomorrow, I don’t give a damn,” which is the mindset Manson wanted to impart in his book. Knowing yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses can help you understand which challenges you can overcome and how. This will help you find constant and genuine happiness. It will also aid you in how to think more positively and productively.

          Don’t Overthink It

          Thinking and reflecting aren’t necessarily bad things, but when you tend to overdo it, it can lead to more stress and anxiety.

          Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel aims to teach readers to stop overthinking on a daily basis. Overthinking can oftentimes feel like a pattern that is difficult to break and one that we have no control over.

          But Bogel explains that negative thoughts can be changed to positive ones, even when you’re overthinking, using the many actionable strategies she lists in her book. Included inside is a framework that readers can use in discerning both small and big decisions. Simply following it can bring more peace, joy, and love into your life. This will not only guide you to breaking the habit of negative thinking but it will also help you find energy for things that really matter to you.

          Happiness Becomes You

          Tina Turner is a legendary name in the music industry. In her book Happiness Becomes You, she lays down the knowledge she has amassed throughout her life and career that helped her think positively. She tackles the many hardships she has encountered in hopes of giving people motivation to keep going.

          Turner also taps into her Buddhist faith as it has kept her grounded for decades. She talks about how she turned her dreams into a reality and how to make the impossible happen. It details the many adversities that the singer was able to overcome before she found the success she has today. This book radiates nothing but positivity, and those who read it will learn a thing or two about how a good mentality can be a great help to achieving their goals.

          Deep Kindness

          One of the major aspects of positive thinking is learning to be less harsh on yourself and others.

          Deep Kindness by Houston Kraft highlights the many ways readers can practice imparting goodwill. The book also explains how these principles can help you get ahead in life.

          Kraft gives many exercises and prompts to help readers develop their sense of kindness and why it is important in today’s world. Not only will it help create a positive environment, but it will also help build a positive mentality by helping readers live a better and more fulfilling life. Through constant practice, you will find yourself acting more kindly towards yourself and those around you, making your mindset more optimistic overall.

          Learning how to lessen negative thoughts can be difficult, but positive thinking is something many people need. Through learning to accept life’s challenges, spending more time on things you love, and being kinder to yourself, positive thinking can become second nature.

          Guest Post written by Anna Charles for cleverjourneys.com

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          Homeschooled Students vs. Indoctrinated Research Shows Home Education is Growing Fast

          Posted on by Texans Jack & Dodie

          Research facts on homeschooling show that the home-educated are doing well, typically above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development.

          According to National Home Education Research Institute, measures include peer interaction, self-concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, participation in community service, and self-esteem.

          In the spring of 2019 there were about 2.5 million homeschool students in grades K-12 in the United States. It appears that the homeschool population is continuing to grow (at an estimated 2% to 8% per annum over the past few years).

          By March 2021, there were an estimated 4.5 to 5.0 million homeschool students in grades K-12 in the United States. This represented about 8% to 9% of school-age children.

          The most common reasons given for homeschooling is to provide a safer environment for children and youth, because of physical violence, drugs and alcohol, psychological abuse, racism, and improper and unhealthy sexuality associated with institutional schools.

          Other reasons given for homeschooling include:

          • customize or individualize the curriculum and learning environment for each child,
          • accomplish more academically than in schools,
          • use pedagogical approaches other than those typical in institutional schools,
          • enhance family relationships between children and parents and among siblings,
          • provide guided and reasoned social interactions with youthful peers and adults,
          • provide a safer environment for children and youth, because of physical violence, drugs and alcohol, psychological abuse, racism, and improper and unhealthy sexuality associated with institutional schools, and
          • as an alternative education approach when public or private institutional schools are closed due to acute health situations such as related to disease (e.g., Covid-19, Coronavirus)
          • protect minority children from racism in public schools or lower expectations of children of color (e.g., black) (e.g., Fields-Smith, 2020; Mazama & Lundy, 2012).
          • teach and impart a particular set of values, beliefs, and worldview to children and youth.

          The home-educated typically score higher on SATs and ACT than their public-school counterparts. Homeschool students are increasingly being actively recruited by colleges.

          • Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education or their family’s household income.
          • Whether homeschool parents were ever certified teachers is not related to their children’s academic achievement.
          • Degree of state control and regulation of homeschooling is not related to academic achievement.
          • Home-educated students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions.
          • Homeschool students are increasingly being actively recruited by colleges.